Thread and stranded wire gauge



Dec. 25, 1945.

s. PANTAG ES THREAD AND STRANDED WIRE GAUGE Filed Ma 1, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i (mg I w INVENTOR.

SZeVerz fiuziages 40 2 T35 la-Y BY i .4 TTORNEX Dec. 25, 1945..

v s. PANTAGES THREAD AND STRANDED WIRE GAUGE Filed May 1, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and. useful. inrprovements in a thread andstranded wire gauge.

More specifically the invention proposes the construction of a threadgauge which has as its purpose to provide a. simple device for measuringthe twist of lay of stranded wire.

One of the main problems of cable and. wire manufacturers is themaintenance of proper'dimensions of stranded conductors. Mechanicalstrength, tensile strength; flexibility, accurate size as well aselectrical properties such as corona efiect, skin effect, especiallyfor: high frequency cables, impedance and current distribution dependson the twist aswell as the geometrical shape of the stranded conductors.It is important therefore to know the twist or lay of the innerconductor inasmuch as: it" affects the electrical as well as themechanical characteristics of the cable or wire. Itis the purpose ofthis invention to provide a simple device to determine the number ofturns per unit length.

A further object of the invention provides the construction of a device,which is notlimitedin its use to determining the twist of stranded wire,but which may also be used for determining the pitch of all types ofstandard screw threads'either externally or internally, permitting acomplementary thread to be provided on a; complementary object'to beused in connection withthe object whose thread pitch isbeing measured;

A further object of the invention proposes forming the thread gauge witha collar having-an angular scale and which rotatively supports a tubularknob which, is cooperative with the scale,

and which is provided with a means for g pping a tubular object in amanner to permit it to be turned by rotating the knob relative to thecollar.

A further object of the invention proposes the provision of. a tubeprovided with. a. linear scale and which slidably supports a followerwhich is adapted to move longitudinallyof the tube and which is arrangedto engage the external threads of a screw or the twist of a wire in amanner to move the follower longitudinally as the knob of the collar isturned to determine when the follower has moved a given distance overthe. surface of the object being measured.

It is a further object of the invention. to construct a thread gaugewhich is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at areasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects, andadvantages thereof,v reference will be had to the following descriptionandaccompanylng drawings, and to'the. appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth-In the accompanying drawings forming a material'part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal scale view of a. thread gauge constructed inaccordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end longitudinat view looking in the direction ofv the line22 of Fig. 1.

3 is a partial: plan view looking in the di rection of line 3-3. of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational'view looking in. the direction of the line:i=4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5. is a horizontal sectional view taken on the. line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, butillustratlng the device set up tomeasure internal threads.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section view taken. on the line 1.'|-of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8. is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6, showing anotherapplication of. the. device.

The thread gauge according to this invention comprises a collar I'll.which is provided: on its face with an angular scale Ill A tubular knobI2 is axially rotatively mounted in the collar [0. The rotativeconnection between the collar l0 and the knob I2: is accomplished byoppositely disposed. pins I3 which are. mounted upon the collar Hi, andwhich have their inner ends engaging peripheral. grooves 14 formed onthe knob l2". The engagement of the pins [3: with the:- grooves 14permits the knob 12 to be freely rotated in either direction. relativeto the collar ll. One side of the knob 12: is provided witha pointer l5which operatesover the angular scale. formed on the collar ID forindicating a complete revolution. of. the knob. relative to the collar10 or the distance the knob l2 has been turned. relative to the collar10 when this: distance is an amount less-than a complete revolution.

A tube leis mounted upon. the collar 1.0-, and is provided. with alinear scale 11. The end of the tube 16 which engages the collar I .0is: provided with bayonet slots l8 which are. adapted: to be engaged,with" the projected ends of. the pins t3 in amanner to retain. the tube16' removably upon the collar III.

A means is provided. upon the inner end of the knob [2 for:supporting'azhelically grooved member extended ainally through the tube16. In this first embodiment of the invention the helically groovedmember is. characterized by a length of wire [9 which is twisted; Thegripping means on the knob 12-. is. characterized by several pivotallymounted; levers 'zllr which are. adapted to be engaged against the sidesof the helically grooved member I9 by means of a ring 2| when it isthreadedly engaged upon a portion of the knob I2. Tightening the ring 2|at the end of the knob I2 will cause the levers to be directed towardseach other and rigidly grip the helically grooved member I9.

A means is provided on the opposite end of the tube I 6 for assistingthe grip means in maintaining the helically grooved member I9. in itsaxial position through the tube I6. This means comprises slidablymounted pins 22 on the tube I6 which are provided at their inner endswith shoes 24 adapted to engage the sides of the helically groovedmember I9. Expansion springs 23 operate between the inner face of thetube I6 and the shoes 23 urging the pins 22 into a position in which theshoes 23 will seat themselves upon the sides of the helically groovedmember I9.

A follower is arranged in connection with the linear scale H forassisting the angular scale II in determining the number of twists tothe inch on the helically grooved member I9. This means comprises avertically arranged finger portion 25 which is slidably extended througha tubular member 26. The tubular member 26 is longitudinally slidablymounted in a slot 21 formed in the tube It adjacent to the linear scaleH. A spring 28 operates between a portion of the tubular member 26 and.a flange 29 formed on the finger-like member 25 for urging the inner endof the finger member into a position in which it engages the groove ofthe helically grooved member l9. The engagement of the finger-likememher with the helically grooved member I9 causes the follower to movealong the linear scale I! and clearly indicates that the follower hasmoved along one inch of the helically grooved member I9. The helicallygrooved member H) is turned by turning the knob I2 to move thefinger-like member 25 along the linear scale I! while at the same timecounting the rotations of the knob I2 which are required to move thefollower one inch along the scale If it requires ten turns of the knobI2 to move the follower one inch, it becomes evident that the helicallygrooved member I9, if a twisted member, is formed with ten twists to theinch. If the pitch of the twist of the helically grooved member I9 issuch that a turn of less than a complete revolution moves the followerone inch on the linear scale I1, the movement. of less than one completerevolution may be determined on the scale II. Thus, if the knob requiresmerely a half turn to move the follower one inch, the helically groovedmember I9 is provided with a one-half twist to each linear inch.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the thread gauge is illustrated, set up to measure thepitch of internal threads formed on a member I9 and is in the form of alength of pipe formed on the inside of one of its ends with threads 30.The device for measurin the internal threads 30 is characterized by anL-shaped member 3| of flexible metallic material slidably extendedthrough a guide 32 formed on the free end of the tube I6. The helicallygrooved member I9 is engaged into position in the thread gauge in thesame manner as the helically grooved member IS in the previous form ofthe invention. The arm of the L-shaped member 3| which extends downwardsacross the open end of the tube IE (as shown in Fig. 6) is provided witha pair of inwardly extended caliper arms 32 which are pivotallysupported upon lugs 33 formed on the downwardly extended arm of theL-shaped member. An expansion spring 34 operates between the adjacentfaces of the caliper arms 32 for spreading them to cause both outwardlydirected end portions 35 to engage in the threads 30. The arm of theL-shaped member 3|, to which the caliper arms 32 are pivotally attached,is provided with a scale 36 graduated to indicate the distance which thecaliper arms 32 are spread when inserted into the helically groovedmember l9 to give the inside diameter thereof.

The other arm of the L-shaped member 3| is swivelly connected to a catchmember 31. This swivel connection is accomplished by the provision of aheaded pin 38 upon the free end of the arm of the L-shaped member 3|which is located in position within an extension 39 formed on the catchmember 31. The flexibility of the arm 3| permits the free end of the armto be raised to engage the catch member 31 over the top end of thefinger-like portion 25 of the longitudinal follower mounted on the tubeIS. The topmost flange of the tube-like member 26 which supports thefinger-like portion 25 is provided with a pair of oppositely'disposedupwardly extended pins 40 which pass through complementary openingsformed in diametrically opposite sides of the catch member 3! forsecurely mounting the catch member 31 upon the tube-like member 26. Thisengagement between the catchlike member 31 and the tube-like member 26will cause the finger-like portion 25 to mimic all movement of theL-shaped arm 3| asinfluenced by the pitch of the threads 30 on theinterior of the helically grooved member l9.

When the device is set up as illustrated in Figure 6, rotations of theknob l2 will cause the helically grooved member I9 to be rotatedrelative to the tube I6 and cause the L-shaped member 3| to be movedlongitudinally of the tube I8 as the caliper arms 32 move axially due tothe threads 30 with which they are engaged. This movement of theL-shaped arm 3| will also move the finger-like portion 25 similarlyalong the face of the linear scale IT. This movement of the follower onthe linear scale will permit the operator to determine the number ofthreads to the inch merely by counting the rotations of the knob |2which are required to move the fingerlike portion 25 the required oneinch across the face of the linear scale |1.

As shown in Fig. 1 the catch-like member 31 may be disengaged from thefinger-like portion 25 permitting the caliper arms 32 to be turned intoan inoperative position extended above tube I6 merely by twisting theL-shaped arm 3| about the pivot 38. A metallic band 40 is adapted to beengaged about the free end of the caliper arms 32 when those arms are inan inoperative position to retain the arms against being spread toeither maximum operative position under the influence of the expansionspring 34.

When measuring external threads or the twist of wire the finger-likeportion 25 is used independently of the caliper arms 32 which are movedto their inoperative position. When it is desired to determine a numberof threads to the inch on an internally threaded object, the device isset up as shown in Fig. 6 and the movement of the finger-like portion 25will be influenced by the caliper arms 32 which'engage the internalthreads of the controlling member l9 while the inner end of thefinger-like portion 25 merely moves across the other periphery of thehelically grooved member I9. This movement of the finger-like portion 25will be directly influenced by the caliper arms 32.

In Fig. 8 the caliper arms 32' are formed with inwardly extending endportions 35, adapted to engage in the external threads 30'. In otherrespects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shownand like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the severalviews.

It is to be understood that the turns of any screw or helicoid may bedetermined by means of this device.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A thread gauge, comprising a collar having an angular scale, a knobcooperative with said scale and axially rotatively mounted in saidcollar, a tube provided with a linear scale and removably rotatablymounted axially of and on said collar, means connected with said knobfor holding a helically grooved member axially through said tube, and afollower for said linear scale and longitudinally slidably mounted onsaid tube for engaging the groove of said helically grooved member, saidknob being rotatively supported by the engagement of pins from saidcollar with peripheral grooves formed on said knob, said removablemounting of said tube comprising bayonet slots formed on one end of saidtube and engaging with the projected ends of said pins. 2. A threadgauge, comprising a collar having an angular scale, a knob cooperativewith said scale and axially rotatively mounted in said collar, a tubeprovided with a linear scale and removably rotatably mounted axially ofand on said collar, means connected with said knob for holding ahelically grooved member axially through said tube, and a follower forsaid linear scale and longitudinally slidably mounted on said tube forengaging the groove of said helically grooved member, said knob beingrotatively supported by the engagement of a pin from said collar with aperipheral groove formed on said knob, said removable mounting of saidtube comprising a bayonet slot formed on one end of said tube andengaging with the projected end of said pin.

STEVEN PANTAGES.

